ZUCWR Chapter 2 Final Entries

As of today, Wednesday the 11th, you are now allowed to post your final entry for the contest in this thread. This will only stay open until Saturday the 14th at one o’clock PM EST. This is the only place where you can enter your pieces, emails and pms to me or the other judges does not qualify. There are a couple rules and some information about this, so let me just get it out quickly.

Rules for posting-

-Your actual story must be in a quote box
-Make sure you clearly state what scene you’ve written, and from what game it’s from
-You still must have a title and a by-line for your piece
-Please put a rating of either E for everyone, T for teen, M for mature, or A for Adult

Failure to comply to any of these rules will result in an instant disqualification for your entry


As far as the actual thread goes, something very important. This is NOT a chatroom, this is even like the first thread for your drafts and discussion of the contest. You may make one post and one post only in there, and that is solely for your entry. You may write extra notes to us judges in your post about your piece, but no single posts with just that. Any posts that have been made after your first, or do not follow the explanation I just delete.

You have three days to post your final entry, take your time, wait until the last day if you need to. But remember this thread will be officially closed on Saturday after one o’clock. If you not get your entry in before the deadline, you will not be accounted for in the judging with the grades or the awards. So do not PM me or any of the other four judges for any reason about begging to get your piece in, you will not get a break from the rules.

When this thread is locked, the other discussion thread will still remain open for posts, so go there if you want. After a week and a half of judging, the awards will be presented, and then the current discussion thread will be locked, and the new thread with the winners announced will become the newest, and last discussion thread for this single contest.

Follow all rules for the contest, and posting in here, and you’ll be fine. On behalf of the entire Judging Team, I wish you good luck.

This scene is from Majora's Mask, when Link finds Mikau, the Zora, drifting in the Great Bay.
Rating: E

Memory Of Crystalline Waves
By Szerenade

The salty scent of the sea rushed forth to meet him. Link leapt off his horse in a moment of unexpected ecstasy. He ran down to the waves, hardly feeling the sand through his boots, yet feeling as if it were sweeping him off. He stopped abruptly at the edge, and water swirled gently around his feet, leaving a cool tingle in his toes.

The turquoise waters shimmered buoyantly, and it was surrounded on both sides by tantalizing coves. Straight in front of him was a wooden hut shaped like a diving bell, anchored upon a raised platform saluted by an owl statue. Curiosity crashed upon him, but he was drawn to the coves on his right.

Swaying palms and bold rocks. Even the gulls clearly relished that spot, gliding around in majestic pride. They called to him, a lifting cacophony, and he rushed forth to meet them.

He threw himself among the wavering reflections, and all lightness was dragged out of him. He almost regretted doing so, but didn’t feel at all like turning back. So he half-swam, half-struggled with his head above water, fighting against his clothes and boots, but enjoying the bobbing waves and warm rays. Seawater slopped into his mouth, and some he swallowed, some he buzzed out like a brass player. With every stroke, the water became familiar, and he buzzed less, while the airborne fanfare grew louder.

After minutes of eternity, he spotted a strange shape floating on the waves. He heaved himself closer, and it was revealed to be a Zora! But what a mystifying Zora, equipped with rings and bangles, and he gave a weak moan.

Suddenly, the gulls sounded blissful no more. Link grabbed the ill-fated stranger and headed back for shore. The boy’s mind swelled with worry and wonder, and before he realised it, they were staggering on the shifting bottom.

When Link could stand properly, he noticed that the Zora had regained some of his energy. They shuffled towards dry sand, whereupon his aquatic companion dropped to his knees. ‘Tell…tell Lulu-’ he began brokenly.

Link’s mouth was forming a wordless reply, when the Zora stood up shakily. ‘I am Mikau, the guitarist,’ said he, with a sternness that could not prevail.

Mikau unsheathed a pale-green fish-bone guitar, and struck a rippling chord. ‘Listen to my tale,’ he said hoarsely.

He struck more chords, and each one sent a quaver to the back of Link’s neck. And Mikau sang; a song of silhouettes in the twilight, waiting for a night that does not rise.

He sang of brash pirates and stolen treasures, treasures that held the key to the secrets of the future. He sang of his past, his destiny as a warrior, and the fate had shattered the fallen shards of his strength.

He cried in his watery voice that was mysterious and soothing and reckless all at once. He described many things that Link could not comprehend; words that echoed in the labyrinth of his young mind, and only tears could leave the forlorn chambers.

The legendary guitarist and the Hero of Time gazed at each other for a silent moment, then Mikau fell upon his knees once more. He grasped at the coarse sand and entreated, in the merest whisper, 'Tell Lulu…not to worry.'

Link knelt down and nodded sombrely. Mikau raised his head. Heal my soul, were his final words.

The younger musician drew out his ocarina and blew gently into it. He played a haunting melody and his memories surfaced. There was the Clock Tower, gears turning in an iron countdown. The Happy Mask Salesman, gleeful as ever, rubbing his hands as Link performed the Song of Healing for the first time, on the sorrowful pipes of a Deku Scrub.

Link opened his eyes, and there was a change in Mikau’s expression. The great Zora warrior gave him a tranquil smile and closed his eyes. After a moment, his body dissolved into little pearls of light that scattered past the air. In its place was a mask of a pale face with eyes deep like the evening sky.

Link tenderly picked up the mask and placed it on his face. There was a tearing pain that strangled his entire being.

And the world changed.

He heard an echo of the melody he played for Mikau. Drifting in a dream-like realm, he saw a female Zora, her fins beating slowly but rhythmically. She took his hand and brought him to other Zoras. They were performing on coralline instruments, and were soon joined by their two remaining members. The Indigo-gos, band with the deep-sea sound. And a concert that would never be.

Link found himself back in reality, accompanied by the pleading strands of a different soul. He saw the menacing face hovering in the fragile sky. He saw the shadow of a ship prowling on the horizon. He saw the murky, lifeless sea.

He unsheathed his own fish-bone guitar and struck a rippling chord. ‘I will not suffer you!’ cried the knight in his watery voice.

This story is from Link's Awakening. This scene goes from where Link meets Marin for the first time, to when he retrieves his sword.
Rating: E

The Quest for the Sword
By Hero of the Winds

Link woke up on a soft surface. He tossed and turned, lost in a world of nightmares and dark shadows surrounding and taunting him. He was astray, and he had no idea how to get back. Suddenly a soft voice, like the sound of angels in this dark realm called him back. His eyes snapped open.
Before him stood a young beautiful girl, who was looking at him, apparently relieved at something, but he knew not. What had Zelda got to be worried about? Zelda started inspecting him, and Link took in his surroundings. What first struck him as odd was he was in a small wooden house, not Zelda’s castle. What more was there a short, fat man looking at him intently from a corner of the small home.
Link turned his attention to the young girl fussing over him.
“… Zelda?” Link moaned. The girl looked up at him, and stared into his eyes with a look of confusion crossing her youthful features.
“Huh? No… My names Marin.” She replied, still slightly confused at, in her eyes, this lost youth.
“Marin?” Link asked, his brow frowning slightly in concern. “What is going on?” He thought to himself.
“You’re lucky to be alive. I honestly thought you would never wake up. It must have been weeks ago now when I fished you out of the water down on that beach.” She continued, unaware of Link’s look of confusion and concern. “You looked so battered and bruised; I honestly believed that you had been in the middle of a hurricane!
She continued to speak as Link started tossing again, reminiscing about the nightmares he had just had, “You were tossing and turning in that bed for days and weeks, constantly moaning and crying. I kept trying to wake you up, but you must have been having some really bad nightmares, because you actually started punching thin air!”
“W… Where am I?...” Link questioned her weakly, after he finally stopped tossing and turning in mental anguish.
“Why, you’re on Kholint Island! Birthplace of the Windfish, our landmark!” Marin exclaimed, somewhat excited now. This youth was actually getting better. Link looked out of the window, following her gaze outside. His eyes widened at the impressive and mysterious sight of a huge, spotted egg on a mountain, resting like a giant sentinel looking down on the people from it’s kingdom in the heavens. It was the weirdest sight he had ever seen, and Hyrule had some crazy images.
“What’s the Windfish?!” Link muttered to himself, as a rhetorical question. Obviously the small, chubby man in the corner heard and answered.
“No-one quite knows!” He answered with enthusiasm. This man appeared quite full of activity, despite his unhealthy structure. As the man waddled forward, Link noticed that he had a rather large, black moustache, perched on his mouth like some form of furry animal.
“Well Link, lucky I found your shield. I expect your sword is still down on the beach. Anyway, here’s your shield!” The man said, handing it to him “By the way, my name’s Tarin!” He finished
“How…how… how’d you know my name?” Link inquired, a little scared since he hadn’t mentioned his name himself.
“Is that shield yours or not dummy?! It has your name engraved in it!” Tarin cried out with animation, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
“Yes Link, you should see the beach. I noticed your sword was there, but I was afraid to fetch it because there were several monsters guarding it!” Marin commented.
“OK, I’ll be fetching my sword then. Thank you for your hospitality!” Link said, thanking them on his way out. As Link stepped out, he squinted in the bright sunlight. He was in the garden of the house, and there was a small village around him. It was quite darling and sweet, and Link took care to commit every place to memory. There was an unusual house with what looked like a giant bowling ball chained to a post outside.
He also saw a building with the name ‘Trendy Game’ on it. “What on Hyrule is a Trendy Game?” Link wondered out loud. The village had plenty of other sites that were strange and unusual, such as the house that looked like a tree with a strange ornament on it. Link couldn’t see that clearly from his spot, but he swore that it was not made of stone, wood, or even metal…
Out here he had a much clearer view of the Windfish’s egg, and he pondered it for a while at he walked through the small Hamlet. The giant bowling ball continued to turn and twist, making barking noises.
“This place certainly is strange!” Link thought to himself.
He continued out of the Hamlet, past two young boys tossing a ball back and forth, past a small house on the outskirts, right to the edge of a series of steep cliffs. He was about to make his way down, when he noticed the multitude of creatures gathering at the bottom.
They had snouts like pigs, yet they had very rounded bodies and short legs, like octopuses almost. Then one shot a rock from its snout. Link realised these were a real threat, so as he clambered down the cliff side, he took care to avoid these monsters.
His foot crunched on the beach. He sniffed in the fresh salt air greedily, and sat a while, listening to the soothing sound of the waves. Then grabbed a coconut from a nearby palm tree and cracked it open, draining the refreshing juice inside, restoring his energy.
“Delicious!” He cried as he slurped the rest of it, smacking his lips.
He tossed away the rest of the shell, and carried on down the sandy beach, looking out onto the clear blue ocean. As he got closer to the sea he noticed something glinting in the bright sun. He looked closer and his eyes lit up with relief! It was his sword!
He rushed forward only to come to a dead standstill as he noticed a cluster of urchins around it. He snorted!
“Monsters indeed!” He scoffed. He shuffled closer and pushed them away, only to meet one the snout monsters behind it. He scattered back, getting hit a couple of times by those rocks.
He simply grabbed his shield and threw it the monster. It retreated with a nasty welt on its head. Link walked up gratefully to his trusty sword, and plucked it from the ground. He felt it in his hands, and as he held it in the air, he felt an electrical charge surge through his body, revitalising him, and giving him the strength he had lost. He waved it around with vigour, and destroyed the urchins around him.
“YES!!!!” He screamed with joy, jumping up and down!

The scene is from Majora's mask when Link, who is traveling through Ikana valley with Tatl, encounters a garo for the first time.

Rated T (for teen) for brief mild description of bleeding.

Word Count: (Not counting Title and By-line) 1700. W00t!

Smoke and Stained Steel
By Aerixeth

Grass moves with an evident grace that equals that of water, does it not? Its swirls and bends under the force of the gale, does it not? It engulfs those that lie embedded in it, just as water does, does it not? Perhaps grass is but a solid form of water. A liquid with a definite form, if you will. This is but a theory, one formed of pure imagination on the part of a creative being who views things differently than others. A theory that while being completely metaphorical could not be more true.

As the wind purred through the grass, however, a boy garbed in green focused not on such melancholy theories, but on his own troubles. The young lad, his hair blond and taken by the wind, watched as a fairy bounced around his head. He was lying on his back in the tall grass of Ikana valley. He rubbed his green tunic gently as his friend, a tiny orb of floating light, complained into his ear.

“Link! You’re unbelievable! We have to gain the aid of the fourth giant of the canyon. Skullkid still has Tael, you know. Maybe you don’t, but I care!” Tatl was getting frustrated with Link. As he sat in the open green fields of Ikana, the blue sky looking down on him, he truly didn’t seem concerned. He looked care free, an unusual occurrence, especially since he had entered Termina.

It seemed so long ago, although it had happened less than a day ago. He had been searching for a friend lost, and on his search found not a friend, but a thief. Tatl, his new friend, however, was a result of that certain theft. An object lost, a friend gained.

Link snapped out of his daze and looked back to his hovering friend. The sun hit him in the eyes and he shielded himself from it’s force. “Would you stop worrying, please? You don’t seem to understand the fact that we can travel back in time. Besides, we don’t know how we’re going to go about this. I love swinging my sword as much as you love seeing me swing it, but I don’t much feel like getting killed.”

He smiled as Tatl shook her entire body in disapproval of his attitude. She flew around a bit and admired the beauty of the afternoon. The sun was surveying the scene brightly, illuminating all that it could find. The gentle breeze was caressing the tall grass of Ikana valley. The water of the river was sparkling under the sun and splashed as it hits rocks.

“I know that we can travel through time. We’re time hopping freaks! Okay, I get that. But I love Tael. He’s my brother, and I can’t live without him. I can’t just sit here while he’s with... with him!” Link sighed and hopped up from his bed of green. He couldn’t deny Tatl when she got like that. She was annoying, and couldn’t replace Navi, but she was a friend all the same.

The two set off towards the steep, rocky cliff on the other side of the river. They weren’t yet sure how to climb it. To the right there was a long path, and to the left another cliff side. “Alright,” Link paused and looked at the rocky surface. “We know that the fourth giant is up there, but we don’t know how to get up. The hookshot’s too short. I don’t suppose you could carry me up?” he joked. Tatl laughed sarcastically. She studied the surroundings.

“I think we should go right. Maybe there’s a bridge somewhere up ahead.” she suggested. Link shrugged, as it seemed that there was no current way up. Unable to go left, they went right. It was a short walk up a steep hill, but Link was tired from crossing Termina on foot. He paused several times and Tatl grew impatient.

“Link, for a hero, you’re unbelievably slow.” she commented as Link sat down to take a break. The hill was indeed quite steep. Link was still smiling, though, as he pulled a glass bottle out of his back pocket. He popped the cork and took several swigs of the water. He put the cork back into the bottle and stood back up, refreshed and ready to continue.

“Hold on a second.” Link halted Tatl after a few more moments of walking. The grass under his feet was soft, but each step Link took made him uneasy. He brushed his fingers through his dark blonde hair and Tatl sighed.

“Would you stop whining? If you’re tired, stay here and I’ll continue on, but for the love of the Goddess, please shut up!” Link considered swatting Tatl for telling him to be quiet, but his mind quickly focused on other things. There was an odd presence in the air. Something unnatural and out of place.

“Shhh,” he quieted his companion. “Something’s not right.” He listened intently. The wall of stone to his left and the other to his right were both towering strongly, and no rocks were falling out of place. Tatl listened too, but she could not immediately sense anything.

After a few minutes she squeaked, “You’re right! I feel it too. It feels ominous. We should keep moving, I’m afraid something bad might happen.” Link ignored the suggestion. Perhaps this would serve as some sort of hint as towards how to get up the cliff side.

“It’s waiting,” he spoke aloud, not expecting his fairy to understand, “It’s waiting for me to draw my sword.” He smiled and with one quick movement drew his razor sword from it’s sheath. It came flying into the open with the sound of the air being sliced by it’s blade. Suddenly there was a loud roar and fire erupted from the ground, creating a barrier of flame.

“You have sealed your fate.” came the voice of an unseen presence. A cloud of silver smoke materialized in front of them. As it cleared the smoke revealed a cloaked figure. He was wearing a brown cloak and hood, and had two steel blades extracted from his sleeves. His face, although not actually shrouded by shadows, was dark and unseen. Two red eyes protruded through the darkness and glared at Link.

“I’m not worried about my fate.” Link said with a grin on his face, resting assured that his life was in no danger. Tatl, on the other hand, was buzzing around Link, trying to find a suitable hiding place. The garo, as named by ancient lore, showed no sign of emotion. He readied his blades and prepared to attack.

“You have no right to wander amongst the dead. If you are so eager to die, however, I will happily oblige. Perish.” the garo spoke calmly as he charged towards Link. His movement flowed like that of water or that of grass. Had it not been for his exposed legs Link would have guessed that he was flying.

Metal came crashing down in Link’s direction, but he had already jumped backwards. His back pressed lightly against the wall of flame and he cursed lightly. Tatl, who had since evacuated his hat, found that she was unable to fly out of the arena. As if by some sort of magic she was withheld inside it’s confines.

Link looked at his foe and raised his blade. He ran forward and managed to jump towards his foe. His sword swiped at the garo’s chest but missed as he moved nimbly to the side. He then sent his own swipe back. Link, by raising his sword, managed to block the attack but was left exposed to the second.

“Damn,” Link swore as he jumped back. A part of his shirt was torn and his chest was bleeding slightly. It stung immensely. His foe was already advancing for another attack. Link drew his shield off of his back and used both it and his sword to block the thin metal of the garo’s blades.

The sound of flesh being pierced flew throughout the valley and Tatl cried for her friend. Link fell to one knee, holding his stomach in pain. The garo backed off, having enough honor to let his foe get back to his feet. Link stood up wearily as he looked at the wound. It was a deep wound to his stomach and was bleeding dangerously.

Link, now back on his feet raised his sword to block an aerial attack from the garo. Both of his swords collided with Link’s and he was forced back. He charged again at Link, not giving him enough time to strike back. All Link could do was drop his sword and put his shield up. His right hand raised and his left on his wound, he managed to push the garo back again.

He had only another second before he was attacked again. Without his foe noticing he slipped his foot under his sword, which lay on the ground. As the garo rushed speedily at him he threw his shield at him and knocked him off balance. He then used his foot to send his sword into the air. He jumped to catch it and came flying down towards his foe, who was still stunned from having a large piece of metal thrown at him.

Link moved backwards slightly and fell to his knees. His opponent was standing upright with a large sword implanted in his chest. Garo’s don’t bleed, but smoke came out of his body, and he too fell to the ground. He looked up at Link and spoke, “You do indeed deserve to walk amongst us. To die without leaving a corpse, that is the way of the garo.” And he disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

Link’s vision faltered and he fell onto his stomach. The grass brushed gently against his skin. He closed his eyes and prepared to drift to sleep. He knew that his dreams would be of Zelda and Hyrule, and a friend lost. And he looked forward to awakening to find his new friend tending to his wounds. He was grateful to have such friends, for they were the best thing a warrior could have.

I worte about the boss of the Earth Temple in TMC... The Giant Chu Chu!

Rated: E

A Minish and A Chu Chu
By DarkZeroHyrule

A little boy wearing green enters a room only to see no doors. It is made entirely of stone with some designs of little people dancing on the walls. He looks around and decides to turn back. Suddenly, the door shuts with unknown speed. He is so taken back that he falls down onto the cold floor. As he looks up at the ceiling, he hears a drip. To his left stood a big blob of green... something. He gets up and goes over to it while removing his sword from its sheath. It shines a blinding light towards his hat.

“Stop that Link! You’re blinding me!” a voice yelled.

The boy named Link looks around and takes off his hat.

“Sorry, Ezlo, but I didn’t kno-” Link said.

His hat suddenly turned towards him and two eyes looked back at him. A beak grew out of the hat’s tip.

“Exactly! You didn’t know! You don’t know anything!” Ezlo insulted.
“Whatever!” Link responded as he put Ezlo back on his head and began to poke at the blob.

Ezlo looked up since he thought Link was doing something stupid when he saw more of that green blob fall from the ceiling.

“Get back to the door before the blob gets you!” Ezlo shouted with urgency.

Link carefully backed away from it as more of the blobs fell with increasing speed. Soon, the blob falling stopped, but he noticed something else. The blob was seeping through the floor. Link and Ezlo looked below him and saw no visible holes there. As their heads reached normal height again, something arose from the ground. It seemed to be made of the same blob that fell.

“It’s a Chu Chu!” Ezlo exclaimed.
“I know that! I’ll just swing at it!” Link yelled as he charged it.

He swung at the base of it, but his sword bounced off of it. The force of the swing pushed the young boy back into the wall.

“How can I kill it if I can’t swing at it?!” Link questioned the mystical hat.
“Use your Gust Jar!” Ezlo shouted.

The boy took out a jar. It was white and blue and Link looked at it in question.

“This useless thing! What will that do?!” Link yelled.
“I don’t know you idiot, but if you don’t move, we’ll be crushed!” the mystical hat shouted.

Link’s eyes had finally seen the approaching Chu Chu. Without second thoughts, he pointed the jar’s mouth at the monster and held on tightly. A sucking wind came from the jar as Link could barely hold onto it. Some pieces were coming off of the Chu Chu. Link noticed that the base was getting smaller and smaller while the head got bigger. Soon, the blob stopped coming off of the Chu Chu. It was wobbling and that motioned Link to move. The head came crashing down where he once stood. Link now stood in paralyzing fear.

“Stupid! Use your sword!” Ezlo shouted.
“Fine, but it won’t work!” Link shouted back as he stabbed it with his sword.

The Chu Chu got back up immediately as it returned to the shape it arose in. Link finally knew exactly what to do, but the Chu Chu wouldn’t let him do it again. It moved faster than ever before and it bounced the Gust Jar to the other side of the room. Link ran far away from it. The Chu Chu, though, had other plans as it approached the jar.

“Link! Get the jar!” Ezlo screamed, hurting Link’s ears.

The hero dashed at incredible speed. The Gust Jar was in the sights of both the temple boss and the hero. Link jumped and grabbed the jar before the Chu Chu could grab it with its extending slime. While it retrieved the slime, Link used the Gust Jar again to waken the Chu Chu and make it fall. Link ran off as the head landed with a loud thud. The boy took out his sword and stabbed it one last time.

The Chu Chu began to shrink. The blobs just became a gas and it all disappeared into the air. After a while, the rest of the Chu Chu disappeared in a puff of smoke. Link ran to the center of the room as something shiny fell. It was purple with a golden base. He had a smile and now Ezlo had a chance to speak.

“The Earth Element! We did it!” Ezlo shouted.
“I did all the work!” Link retorted back.
“If it wasn’t for me, then you would never have gotten in here!” Ezlo exclaimed.
“But if it wasn’t for me, then you would’ve been killed back in the forest!” Link attacked.

The two fought back and forth as a white, blinding light took them out of the dungeon.

And now I submit my story. Woohoo. That was a doozie to write.

SPOILERS OF WIND WAKER ENDING

Word Count: 1,543 words.

Rating: Teen (due to a possible inability for younger kids to comprehend, and possibly because someone gets stabbed in the head)

Scene: My story takes place at the end of Wind Waker when Ganondorf is about to get the Triforce (but I do explain some plot before then, so non-zelda guys can read it).

Notes: If you're a big Zelda fan, you can probably skip to the first bracket (that would be [ ] these little things). It wouldn't hurt to read all of it though. And uh, in case you can't figure it out, the brackets are the thoughts going through the head of Ganondorf.

The Mind of Evil
By: IHN



The world was created. All things received the breath of life, and existence began. The Goddesses responsible for this surveyed their work and decided on a final object to create, in honor of their effort. This memorial to the Goddess’ labor was known as the Triforce; an object that glowed with the noble fires of Heaven and would grant the wish of any person who laid their hands upon it. For this reason, the Goddesses hid it away in the kingdom of Hyrule and put layers and layers of protection upon this sacred relic (the Master Sword, the Light Arrows, and many other blessed objects that were created to destroy evil). The Gods made sure that only those deserving of the Triforce were able to exploit its power.
However, an eternity later, an evil one arose who fought his way through the defenses and nearly took the Triforce as his own. To protect it further, the Gods split the ancient relic among three people based on how powerful, wise, or courageous they were; for these were the traits of the Triforce pieces. The Evil One gained the strength of the Triforce Piece of Power, but was unable to utilize it; for he was soon overtaken by those who held the Pieces of Wisdom and Courage. They sealed him away, saving Hyrule, and bringing peace to the land.
Unfortunately, in a time when the land was unprotected, the Evil One escaped. Finding that the heroes of the past battle were nowhere to be found, he took the throne of Hyrule and became a cruel king. As he began to spread his evil further and further across the land with his Power, the Gods saw that they must intervene. Therefore, to shut away the Evil One and all that followed him, they froze time in Hyrule, sealed the kingdom in a bubble of protection, and buried it and the Evil One at the bottom of the sea to never be awakened. It was a regrettable task, but the Gods were obligated to see it through.
Despite their best efforts, however, that evil broke free, centuries later, from its prison and sought to obtain the Triforce once more. The labors of this evil man, whose name was Ganondorf Dragmire, strangely led him back to the very place where he was so recently sealed. Even so, it mattered not, for he was very near fulfilling his every ambition.

[Yes…Finally…]

Ganondorf stood tall atop a tower in the sunken kingdom of Hyrule. With him were the new keepers of the other Triforce Pieces: a boy named Link (Courage), and a girl named Zelda (Wisdom). Ganondorf had led the two of them to the tower, and by performing a small ritual, had summoned forth the Triforce once more. He gazed at it hungrily as he stepped towards it, his hand outstretched. As he walked forward, he stepped over Link and Zelda; and while he walked, they merely looked up, bidding their bodies to move, yet unable to do anything. Each step seemed to make Ganondorf’s chest swell with excitement, and just as it appeared ready to burst, he halted. He began to breathe deeply, and a sinister grin crept across his face.

[After what has felt like eons of turmoil…I will have my wish…I am finally able to cry out-]

“Gods! Hear that which I desire,” the hulking man roared deeply. “Expose this land to the rays of the sun once more! Let them burn forth! Give Hyrule to me!!!”

[At last it will come....true?]

As Ganondorf reached his hand forward to conclude the sacred ritual, he paused. Almost nothing in the world would have made him stop, for he was so close to fulfilling his deepest desire. What made Ganon halt was that as he reached forward, a man strode out from behind the glowing artifact; a man whose hair shone white and whose royal garb glittered in reverence. This man was the King of Hyrule, and his hand was upon the Triforce.

[What...when did he…]

"He who touches it," King Daphnes began, "will have whatever he desires granted... That is what you said, is it not Ganondorf?" Ganon's outstretched hand receded and slowly dropped to his side, a look of bewilderment replaced his satisfied smile.

[How could he…I was…so…close…]

It was the King now who shouted into the air, “Gods of the Triforce! Hear that which I desire!”

[But what of my desire?!]

“Hope,” yelled Daphnes, “I desire hope for these children! Give them a future! Wash away this ancient land of Hyrule! Let a ray of hope shine on the future of the world!!!” The Triforce began to shine brightly, rays of golden light pouring from it. Link and Zelda found that they were able to sit up, that they seemed to be regaining their strength. Their movement went unnoticed however, for the two adults were gazing fixedly upon each other. The King finished, “And let our destinies finally be fulfilled…” With a look of sheer contempt he growled, “Ganondorf! May you drown with Hyrule!!!”

[It’s over…]

Ganondorf continued to look stunned, able only to stare at that which was almost his. Suddenly there became great holes in the giant force field that encompassed the sunken Hyrule. Water began gushing through the holes into the world within while heavy rain poured down. None seemed to notice however, for all eyes were fixed on Ganondorf, preparing to fight if necessary.

[Foiled again, I should have known...I’ve yet to experience victory in their presence…Why should it be different now? ARGH! Their interference has devastated me for the last time! I will destroy them! I hold the Triforce Piece of Power…I can defeat two children and an old man…in fact, it should be quite easy!]

Suddenly, Ganondorf began to laugh maniacally. It was quite an unnerving thing to hear, and a shudder ran up the back of all present. The Evil One stopped for a moment, and chuckled out, “This is foolishness...A future... for you?” He cackled a bit more, his eyes squinted, barely noticing Link stand up or Zelda saying snidely, “What are you laughing at, Ganondorf?! You're insane!” She spoke more, but this went unnoticed by Ganon, who continued to laugh hysterically. He did, however, take notice when she handed Link a sword…the Master Sword.

[Oh, what have we here…they do plan to battle…Fine then…I’ll make their wish come true in a way that I see fit…]

Suddenly Ganon stopped, and became deadly serious. “Very well, then... Allow me to show you...,” he began, drawing two deadly blades from beneath his cloak, “Your future...Yes... Allow me to show you... Just what hope you have......See how much your precious Triforce is worth!”
He dashed forward and Link rushed to meet him, both momentarily becoming a blur until they met with a resounding clash. The two jumped back and fought powerfully. Every slash made by one was dodged or blocked by the other. Ganondorf soon began to bite his lip.

[SEE WHAT I AM REDUCED TO?! FIGHTING MERE CHILDREN! THIS IS WHAT THE GODS HAVE DONE TO ME! I AM MERELY A JESTER IN THEIR COURTS, PROVIDING THEIR AMUSEMENT WITH MY TRIALS AND FAILURES!]

Link struck at Ganon again and again, and found that his foe seemed to be growing ever angry. He felt that Ganon's blades grew more and more steadfast as they connected again and again. Finally the anger in Ganondorf peaked and the King of Evil struck. Had Link remained where he was for a fraction of a second longer, he would have ceased to be. Ganondorf reared back to strike once more when in front of him flew an enchanted arrow that glowed with the light of the Gods.

[The light arrows! Powerful as I am, I can not stand against two legendary weapons. Away with you!]

Ganondorf leaped backwards, away from his battle with Link, and landed beside Zelda. With a swift blow, using the hilt of his sword, he knocked her out. Link caught up to him and their battle raged on.
After a time, while Ganondorf and Link continued fighting, each struggling to topple the other, Princess Zelda awakened. Watching the two strike, slice, and stab at each other, she thought desperately for a plan. Link and Ganondorf fought on, and when Link was forced to block a hidden attack with his shield--his Mirror Shield--Zelda thought of what to do.
She took out another enchanted arrow and readied it on the bow, drawing it back. Aiming carefully, she let the arrow fly. It soared forward, past Ganondorf, and hit the shield. It reflected perfectly off of the surface and ricocheted backwards to strike Ganon in the chest.
As Ganon became momentarily stunned, Link lifted his blade, jumped into the air, and embedded the Sword of Evil's Bane into the skull of the Great Gerudo Thief. Ganondorf's eyes grew wide and his blades dropped from his hands. He fell forward onto his knees, all while still staring into the air. His mouth lay open, stunned.

[Defeated…again…am I not meant to succeed? I hear nothing now...nothing but the crashing waves and the searing wind…the wind…it always did usher in death…I suppose it is only fitting that even now-]

"Heh...heh.....The wind.....it is blowing...."

Scene: From The Legend of Zelda, Link uses a 'sword blast' attack on a lionel.

Rating: T (for mild violence)

Word count: 1,435

Notes: Just in case you don't know, a lionel was a centaur with a lion-like head instead of a human's.

The Graveyard’s Sword

By lutian_attor

Mist glimmered like the possessions of kings. It heaped over the rugged path in a stately descent from over the lips of the ridge. The spurs of the foothills jutted like a clutch of bones, drear and sullen in a hard northeast morning. To the west was the graveyard. Link had his back to it.

He thumbed the broken skin running with dried streaks of blood over his chin. The lionels had harried him pretty bad in his journey through the mountains, and he did not savor the thought of the return trip. His hand went to rest on the new sword buckled to his side. As fingers slipped gently over the hilt he ruminated on the old warrior from the pit.

Link trembled to think of the graveyard again. It was such an unholy place. The ground was more ash than earth; eroded away to reveal the corners and surfaces of its tombs. And worst was the graveyard’s stench, betraying the things rotting beneath it. Link felt glad that they had stayed beneath, yet even unhappy spirits gathered aboveground, on the misty air that weighed over the graveyard. How did the magical sword come to end up there, deep in a hidden pit with that old man? Link’s mind slipped into recollection…

…The old steps stretched from the sickly light outside, down into the red chasm of the pit. Link had inched down the staircase warily. Stale air wafted in his face.

The floor below was awash with the glow of lamps. Their oils issued a mellow fragrance that subdued the earthy must and sulfur that hinted from cracks in the mountains foundations. The sanctuary kept out the ghosts, at least.

An old man sat there, behind a wooden table. Before him, resting on a silken bundle was the magic sword.

“It is too hard for soft hands.” The old man had warned, almost cryptically, as Link reached for the blade’s hilt.

Does he question me? Link wondered at the time. Does he doubt my intent?
Link snatched the sword up in his fists, and the blade of it reddened aflame in the lamplight.

The old man gasped, completely bewildered; an expression of both marveling wonder and sorrow shone in his face. Many years the old man had went with that blade at his side; how many city gates that blade had smashed, better than any battering ram! How many cities that look from lonesome shores had been beaten into surrender! And now he had to relinquish it to a boy?

“It is the Princess’s will,” he murmured. He knew that it was as his Princess foresaw.
When he looked upon Link again there was calm resolve in his cavernous eyes…

…A trembler of sound overhead jolted him to consciousness.

He snapped to his feet, drawing his eyes over the rocky ledge and hollows that hung like brittle fingers over him. Down the sloping path Link could still discern the groans of spirits mingling on the wind. To the northeast was silence. He was oblivious to the hunting pack that was encircling him.

Satisfied, he unsheathed his prize to inspect it again. Its blade leapt like a flourish of brilliant ice. No… not a prize… He thought as he stared upon the sword. Opals blinked from the crisscross of the silver-meshed hilt, twining to a curved cross-guard; a single diamond embossed its center. The pommel was balled into a heavy fist of rubies. Its blade was a spike of ice, the edge of it honed sheer as a thunderbolt.

A sudden blast on the air rocked him. The call of lionel hunting-horns resounded on the stones. They were surrounding their prey. For a moment Link was stunned motionless. The lionels must have picked up his scent.

“How?” Link muttered aloud. He had taken the old deer trails to mask his scent with the natural musk and aromatics of the wilderness. The wind was blowing into the west. But the lionels were too keenly adept for such a trick.

Link felt his muscles blaze like fire, before he was aware he was sprinting full tilt from the narrow straights of the mountain path.

Over the ridge Link confronted a mass of old growth. Coniferous trees blew lazily in the mountain-haze, their thick boles overrun with veins of ivy. The entirety of the wood was ancient, listing in wise silence for the goddesses to lay them back to earth in Their Judgment. About a half-mile further up the timberline ceased, giving way to the desolate slopes of the Death Mountain range. But that was a long ways off. Link slogged wearily through the muddy forest. He could overhear the braying of the hunting-horns gaining behind him.

He picked up his pace, fighting desperately through the low hanging branches.

He burst into a narrow clearing. A heavy dampness hung over the air of the hollow, wan sunlight sifting languidly through the branches. Though Link did not have chance to recover his breath; confronting him, not thirty yards ahead, was the gigantic form of a lionel.

The lion-centaur glowered at him from its distance. A dark fury issued from deep eyes, like orbs of polished jasper reflecting flames. Its human frame was muscle bound, and tattooed with evil runes. They were not akin to the jagged runes of Hyrule, which were meant for stone as much as parchment leaf; the lionel-runes were marks of Ganon’s sorcery. They looked loathsome. The creature bore two curved scimitars in its hands.

Link’s only thought was one that stemmed from experience: he couldn’t rival the creature in force.

The monster lifted up its cumbersome leonine head, bawling a triumphant herald to its fellows in the hunting pack. He could hear them answer from behind. Then the lionel sprang into a gait.

Only a fallen log separated Link from his attacker. He rushed for it, but the lionel was swift on its legs, and beat him there. It bounded over the rotten trunk, intent on crushing him under its weight. Link narrowly dived clear of its fore-hooves, and rolled into a gap under the trunk.

The lionel landed with a thunderous crash, and instantly began to beat at the mud with a savage frenzy, hoping to catch its victim underfoot.

Link rolled from out of his refuge and sprang to his feet. They were on opposite sides once again.

The creature ceased its futile rampage, swerving round to face the boy.

Link unsheathed his blade and took a fighting stance; leading his weapon before him. The beast bellowed in rejoinder.

He focused hard upon the sword as whips of light flowed down the blade.

The lionel raked the ground with its hooves, preparing for another charge.

The blares of the horns were nearing them. The magic sword roared fire and thunder in defiance.

Link swung an arching stroke; the whips of light broke free from the sword and doubled into loops on the air. The light-whips whirled in a cyclone of thunderbolts, the mist caught in its path evaporated in instantaneous plumes as it flew. There was no time to dodge or parry, in an instant it smashed full-on into the chest of the lionel.

Its leonine face crumpled in anguish. It fought hard to scream, but found no air. The force of the blow bowled it clean off its hooves. Though it did not hit the ground, for in the next moment it was gone, utterly and totally banished; from flesh to bone it was scathed clean away from existence.

The blast had momentarily blinded Link, but as his vision cleared he saw the pursuing hunting pack gathered about forty yards off. They stared in complete disbelief.

Link reared the sword above his head and vaulted fully over the log.

The hunting pack broke into a scattered retreat.

Link watched wearily as their shadowy forms disappeared into the haze. He felt a wave of exhaustion flood over him suddenly. He took a seat on the shriveled, mossy fallen trunk. He suspected the sudden bout of fatigue was a result of the chase, but the sword was the greater culprit. He was not accustomed to the weight of a magic blade, which taxed the mind as much as the body. He would learn to wield it properly with time. He sighed, and a faint smile crossed his lips.

Link did not know how many cities the sword had been raised against. Even the old man did not know the wizards who enchanted its gems, or if it were the three goddesses, selecting each a favorite stone in Their Judgment; opal, diamond, and ruby.

The Minish Cap - Link meets Ezlo in the forest - Rated T for random cursing.

Link 'n' Lazlo
by achitka

“Okay, I’m in the Minish Woods…so where are the Picori?” Link asked. He paused to have a look around and decided either that boulder had a twin or he was walking in circles. “Only one way to be sure,” Link said and pulled out his sword. Concentrating for a moment, he spun himself in the direction of the rock. When the metal made contact with the stone, the jarring scraping noise made Link’s blacksmith senses wince. After examining his blade for nicks, he looked at the boulder. Barely a scratch, he thought, It’ll have to do.

Setting off again, he kept his eyes on the forest floor for any signs of the legendary Picori. As he wandered, he got the distinct feeling; he was being watched. Scanning the trees around him made the boy nervous when he found nothing there. He shook it off and continued walking. Looking around the small glade, he spotted the boulder. He traced the scratch he made earlier with his finger and looking at the lengthening shadows on the ground, knew he’d lost almost half the day. Link frowned as he said to himself, “Great…I am walking in circles.”

He sat next to the rock and pulled out some lunch; half a stale baguette and some cheese. As he ate, he remembered the map his Grandpa gave him before he left. Spreading it out on the grass Link examined the area he thought his most likely location. Deciding his best bet to finding the Picori was heading due east then south, he packed up his things and moved on.

The trees around him began to thin and Link noticed a mist as it rose from the forest floor. Link felt uneasy, but thought, At least I didn’t pass that stupid rock. He shivered and he felt the hair on his neck stand on end when, from within the murkiness, a loud grating voice shouted:

“Helllllp!!! Help meeee!!!”

Link rushed toward the voice and the fog became so thick it clung to him, soaking his clothes and hair. Still moving deeper he didn’t want to be caught off guard, so Link pulled out his sword. Whatever was causing it was not immediately apparent, and the further into it he went, the less he could see.

Something moving nearby made him stop. The mist swirled and Link’s nose filled with a pungent sour smell. Suppressing the urge to gag, Link held his nose and relied only on his ears. He heard the distinctive splats of several chu-chus somewhere directly in front of him and Link readied himself for a fight.

Suddenly, the mysterious voice cried out again, “Ouch! Won't somebody stop them?”

Splat, splat, splat…

Trying to move faster, Link found himself pulling up short as trees or boulders kept appearing suddenly from the fog in front of him.

“Ow! Ow! Help... Somebody!”

Damnit, Link thought, the voice, though closer, sounded weaker. Link tried again to pickup his pace.

“Can't anybody hear me? OUCH!”

An unexpected break in the fog, showed Link the chu-chu’s quarry and he stopped as he stared at it for a moment trying to decide what to do. It sort of looks like a bird…but it doesn’t have any wings…or feet…just those creepy eyes and that beak? What is that? he wondered.

Splat, splat, splat…

“Ow! Hey! Kid! You there!” it called, “Ow!” it cried as another chu-chu attacked. “Hey! Don't just stand there! Do something!”

Splat, splat, splat…

“What's wrong with you? Do you like watching me take this abuse? Help me!”

It suddenly occurred to Link, that the odd looking creature in front of him might be one of the Picori. Well, whatever you are, Link thought, you need help. And without further hesitation, leapt at the chu-chu’s, sword slashing. He sliced the nearest in two and backed off momentarily when the little green blob in front of him exploded into a puddle of foul smelling goop.

Splat, splat, splat…Link fell over when one of the creatures smacked into his backside and he silently wished for a clothespin as he rounded on it and slashed it to bits. Splat, splat, splat...Link scrambled to his feet and was able to catch the last two with a spin attack. Covering his nose, he dropped to his knees and coughed as the rancid odor of their demise hit him full force.

“Phew! Well done!” the creature exclaimed, “That was close. Not that I couldn't handle them myself.” Link sneezed as he sat wondering again, what that thing was… “However,” it continued, “that's beside the point! What in the world, is a lone child doing so deep in the woods?”

“I’m trying to find the Picori,” Link said wiping the stink off his sword on the grass. Deciding it was clean he put it away.

“Ho ho! I see,” it replied, “The...Picori, you say?”

“Yeah, so I take it you're not a Picori?” Link asked. The creature shook its head. Until now Link had no one to talk to and all his feelings of frustration began bubbling out of him as he told the weird little creature about the wizard Vaati’s attack and his quest to find the legendary Picori.

“Vaati?” the creature asked, “Vaati's cursed someone?”

“Yes, the Princess Zelda. She’s my best friend…she tried to protect me and that bastard turned her to stone. King Daltus gave me the broken Picori blade and sent me to find them. His Majesty thinks they may be able to re-forge it. At least I hope they can, I have to find them first, then I can break the curse.”

“What? The sacred blade?”

“Yeah, I guess…I just want to get it fixed so I can break the curse on my friend.”

“Is that so? I see, I see...” The creature moved even closer and Link took the opportunity to examine it more closely. It was solid green and sort of looked like...a cap. Link tilted his head this way and that still trying unsuccessfully to figure out what it was.

“You know, you and I have quite a lot in common. You see, I, too, am on a quest to break a curse of Vaati's. And you say that re-forging the sacred blade can break his curse, eh?”

Link nodded.

“Well, then you have found yourself a companion, my boy! My name is Ezlo. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Uh, thanks, but no. I’ll be all right on my own.”

Link got up and started walking, but stopped when the creature said, “Hey, kid! Where are you going? That's the way you just came from!” Link suppressed a growl, and turning around, he marched in the other direction. “Wait! Wait, I say! You walk so quickly! Too quickly, in fact! Surely you've noticed that I have no legs...”

Link kept walking and said, “I noticed, and you’ll only slow me down so you’re not coming with me, Lazlo.”

Not put off in the least the creature pecked his leg as he went by and Link stopped again. “Boy! Take a good look at me! Do you really think I can walk that fast!? Augh! If it isn't one thing, it's another! You are a troublesome boy!”

“Look! I don’t have time for this!” Link shouted pulling out his sword. He waved it at the thing and yelled, “I have to find the Picori, Lazlo, now leave off!”

The creature’s beak curled into a disturbing smile and moving far more quickly than Link thought possible, climbed up the boy's body, settling itself on his head.

“Gah! Get off!” the boy cried.

“There! Now, you can't possibly leave me behind, and the name is Ezlo.” Link’s newly acquired ‘cap’ brought its head around in front of Link’s face and said in a rather satisfied tone, “My, my... It's quite comfortable up here.” Ezlo settled himself once again and said, “More comfortable than I thought, and much easier on me!”

Angry, Link began pulling at the ‘brim’ of it, but the stupid thing would not budge.

“Hey! Quit your squirming! Can't you sit still?” Ezlo asked. After a few more minutes of tugging, Link found himself looking at his sword and decided against trying to cut it off. He sighed and thought, Why does the kind of crap always happen to me?

“See!” Ezlo proclaimed as Link headed toward the forest. “There...Yes, yes! That's it. Much better. Now, I suppose a boy like you still has much to learn about the world. If ever you need my insight, I'll be happy to help!”

“Lazlo?”

“It’s Ezlo, kid.”

“Fine, then, Ezlo?”

“Yes, my boy?”

“Shut up.”

“Ah, such a hopeless child...”

Arriving on the "moon" in Majora's Mask...

Rated "E," appropriately.

For the Love of Holy Farore...
By LionHarted

“TATL!” the voice of my brother echoed as I plummeted upward into the void. I didn’t get a chance to respond—in the blink of an eye, the overturned face of the Clock Tower vanished, replaced by an endless oblivion, unseen forces tugging me in every direction. Streams of light rushed past me—or was I rushing past them? All the principles of time and space seemed to have been cast aside. I had stumbled into chaos, a place (can it even be called a place?) incredibly beautiful to behold, magnificently terrible to experience.

My eyes fluttered about, searching for my green-clad companion, but he was nowhere to be found. In the moment of hesitation I spent looking back at Tael before I followed into the portal, I must have lost him. And even if he were beside me, I doubt I would be able to see him. At this thought a great terror seized me—what if I did not find him on the other side? What would I do? I was no help to him if I was not close by. This was far too vital a mission for us to afford any mistakes—who was I to spoil our last chance? Maybe I had relied far too much on the time-traveling abilities of the Ocarina of Time. During our travels in Termina, playing a simple song could reverse any blunders, but where we were going, the Ocarina would have no power. The Four knew this. Link knew this. I knew this. Everyone else had weighted the risks and acted accordingly—I had failed at that. What had I done?

These trepidations, of course, were irrelevant. It was far too late to do anything about them. In faltering, I had sealed my fate. All I could do was hope, pray to the gods that I would be with him when I emerged from this zany dimension. If I ever emerged from it. The portal might close behind him, in which case I would be stuck here. Probably for eternity. No pressure.

Holy Farore, I’m a worrywart.

Strangely enough, by the time these thoughts had even crossed my mind, I had already been spit out of the black hole. The senses are slower than the mind, even when crossing the threshold between worlds.

It took a moment to get my bearings. Teleporting often has that effect. The streams of light were still rushing past my eyes, so for a few moments I saw only white, and my wings still had not quite realized that they were supposed to move in tandem to keep me airborne, so I started dipping slowly towards the ground. I had never felt more vulnerable in the entire span of my existence. It was very humbling.

Much to my surprise, I landed not against a solid stone floor, but against a cushiony carpet of grass. When my vision returned, I saw that there was nothing to be seen in all directions but grass. I was drowning in a sea of green. And where was Link? I fluttered up a couple meters above the meadow and scanned the ground for him. I didn’t see him. “Link!” I cried, hoping he would hear. It became painfully evident that the fields below were the same color as the Kokiri tunic Link always wore. “Link!” No answer. He must have already been here; he had stepped in the portal before I did. With no landmarks in sight, I had no idea in which direction he had chosen to proceed. I flew low, to scan the ground for any sign of footprints, but the blades of grass left no trace. Had I even emerged anywhere near him?

“Link!” I shouted one last time, although I had given up any hope of an answer.

A very vociferous voice bellowed its response. “Looking for me?”

I was so stunned to hear an answer that I practically dropped out of the sky. Promptly I turned around to acknowledge the speaker, only to find myself face-to-face with an enormous green giant! “Holy Farore!” Without hesitation, I whirled back around and started fluttering away as fast as I could. Whatever it was, it must have gotten Link—now I had to escape before it caught me! I must have flown nearly a hundred meters before a curious thought, one of those why-didn’t-I-see-that-sooner thoughts, finally occurred to me…

That great green Goliath had been Link wearing the Giant’s Mask. How typical.

I stopped dead in the air. “Very funny…” I sighed. It was lucky that he was so colossal that he couldn’t hear me, and even luckier that he could not see my face for I was absolutely sure it had the most ridiculous expression.

Link’s hearty giant laugh reverberated across the fields as he slipped off the mask and shrank back to his normal size. “Boy, I sure scared you!” he chuckled.

If I had been able to, I would have wrung his neck there and then. Instead, I screamed, “What possessed you to do that! You almost gave me a heart attack!”

“Don’t be silly, Tatl; fairies don’t have heart attacks,” Link said mockingly.

Luckily for him he happens to be cute, else I would have slapped him, too—and that I can do. “Now is not the time for games, Link!”

“Now, now… weren’t you the one telling me to loosen up? You know, hypocrisy is a sign of emotional insecurity. Are you sure you’re not high-strung or something? I vividly recall me mentioning this to you a while ago; didn’t you say—oh, give me a moment to remember your exact words—‘I’m not high-strung! I’m as calm and collected as they come!’”

“You’re never going to let me live that one down, are you?” He was ridiculously talented when it came to pushing people’s buttons. Come to think of it, I’d only ever witnessed him push my buttons.

“Not a chance,” Link grinned. Charming. Positively charming. I feel sorry for the girl who marries him. “Come on, we’d better get moving. There’s no telling what we’ve gotten ourselves into.”

“No argument from me,” I agreed. “Although… Link?”

“Yes?”

“For the love of Farore, please let up on the jokes.”

“Fair enough.”

The grin on his face wasn’t very reassuring.

I had a feeling I would be the first fairy to ever have a heart attack.

What had I gotten myself into?